Cape York Trip 2020 / Coen to Cape Melville

CONTENT: Australia / Cape York Peninsula / Coen / Cape Melville / Ninian Bay / Bathurst Bay /
Far North Queensland.
READ TRAVEL JOURNAL BELOW
TRAVEL JOURNAL:
21-26.09.2020
Part 14 of our Cape York Trip starts at Coen River camp where we prepare for remote Cape Melville National Park. We decided to take a more adventurous way: along Port Stewart Rd, over Running Creek to Lakefield-Musgrave junction, then to Musgrave Roadhouse for a refill and through Lakefield National park to Ninian Bay and Cape Melville.
After laundry was done, hair cut, food and fuel refilled at Coen, we took off towards Port Stewart Rd. Biggest fear was to be forced to turn around after facing private land. The flat dirt road was passing through bone-dry cattle country, the drive was sectioned with number of cattle-gates to open and close. Prior turning towards one of the Australia’s remotest nature reserve campsites, we decided to use the opportunity to treat ourselves with fat burgers at Musgrave Roadhouse.
It had been a month ago when we came through Lakefield NP and the landscape had visually dried up. The river flowing over Kalpowar crossing had vanished.
When the Hahn Crossing itself was dried up, the camp spots were right on the shores of the widened part of Hahn river which was looking like a lifeline flowing through bone-dry land. The shores were high, river looked deep - a spot made for sinking a pump for a refreshing cold shower to wash off the day’s dust. Casting from the cliff during the night caught a fat eel on the hook. But we were not the only hunters - the torchlight spotted the eyes of a crocodile.
The next morning after Wolf whipped up “Kaiserschmarrn” we were ready to return to Wakooka junction and take the track we abandoned a month ago due to the broken clutch fan.
Last time at Wakooka Junction fishermen were telling unreal stories about humongous oysters at Ninian Bay. The drive to Ninian Bay was fairly diverse - dry eucalyptus flats gave way to gravel-hills and leading down to strange green vegetation reminding of a young bamboo forest. It was a hot and windless day, everyone felt overheated and set chairs up to the shadiest possible location with the view to the ocean. At the retreat of the heat, the aim was to hunt down those mystical oysters. Though the hike along the coastline was rewarding in the “Golden Hour” light, it came obvious that even if there were oysters, we needed low tide.
Next morning, when the tide was almost out, we packed our fishing rods to have an excuse to check the rocks again. This time the rocks were uncovered and revealed massive oysters. Kieran got lucky with fish, but a circling eagle managed to steal; Wolf discovered a mud crab hiding under a rock and Agni ended up with 50 rock oysters. We relocated to Bathurst Bay camping area and had fish / fresh, battered and crumbed oysters for dinner.
Cape Melville Camping areas are one of the locations where online booking system makes to scratch your head. Meant only for self-contained vehicles; no food, water or phone signal for hundreds of kilometres and no numbered spots along the bay - not exactly high demand area for typical weekend campers. How are we supposed to predict our arrival and length of stay from hundreds of kilometres away and having no clue about the area? Luckily, we had a satellite phone, but old-style envelope-payment probably would assist more towards managing the park.
Cape Melville’s tip is covered with interesting big boulders along the beach - when you climb up one of those big fellas you get a good position to spot dugongs.
At the break of the day’s heat we packed our gear and headed off towards the boulder range at the horizon. After breaking through tense bush covered with hundreds of green ants, the bare boulders were much bigger than they looked from distance and offered a challenge for climbing. Sometimes climbing over, then squeezing through or facing deep crevasses between massive boulders, we made our way higher. The setting sun hit us somewhere half-way - still an amazing lookout over the whole bay. That unpredictable ground is certainly a location not to attempt without letting people to know and at best carrying a UHF radio or satellite phone with you. Not to stay in darkness we made our way down to the beach where the incoming tide had cut us off from our camp spot - the dry riverbed was filled up with low water. Walking back along the beach in the dark, the bonfires lead the way back to camp.
NEXT:
After unforgettable days at Cape Melville, we take direction to Laura and say our farewell to Cape York Peninsula. A decision between Palmer Goldfields outback and a rainforest challenge - we decide to tackle the ups and downs of the Creb Track.
If you want to see some photos, have a look on our Instagram page.
/ sweephorizon
Filmed with IPhone 7
Enjoy watching!!!
#sweephorizon

[@barrymurphy3554]

Great video thanks so much for sharing your adventures we really appreciate the time you both took to make it.
Save travels

[@sweephorizon]

Thank you very much for your feedback! We had great fun exploring cape melville and making this video.

[@snakeinthegrass7630]

"Cape Melville Camping areas are one of the locations where online booking system makes to scratch your head." Did you expect anything else from bureaucrats?

[@sweephorizon]

Yeah, you are right😃 it was an experience!